Madam Su Fangyun held the highest status in the Tan family and her words carried the most weight. The younger generations usually revered her and dared not defy her.
The young girl standing at the center of the conversation now fluttered her long eyelashes slightly upon hearing those words.
The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward. Tan’s father, startled, quickly stepped in to lighten the mood:
“Mom, how could you say that? Whether Momo is married or not, she is still your granddaughter. She gave you these gifts out of filial piety.”
Tan’s mother stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her daughter’s shoulder and smiled at Madam Su: “Exactly, mom. Look how wonderful these gifts are. Momo must have put a lot of thought into them. Momo, you even bought grandma a scarf? What a beautiful scarf.”
Tan Mo nodded slightly: “The other gifts were prepared by Xie Qichen and his mother. They asked me to bring them to Grandma.”
Tan’s father smiled: “Mom, you see, this is also a gesture of goodwill from the Xie family.”
Madam Su glanced at the gifts: “I can tell. Momo must have put in effort. Without effort, she couldn’t have prepared such great gifts.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
The elderly lady’s gaze fell on Tan Mo, and she smiled:
“Exactly. If she didn’t put in effort, she wouldn’t have married into the Xie family, right?”
Though smiling, Madam Su’s words carried an edge that completely shattered the momentarily eased atmosphere in the living room.
Tan Zhiwan quietly chuckled to herself.
Tan’s father and mother were stunned.
Tan Yuanzhou shot a glance at the young girl beside him, whose expression was stunned. He furrowed his brows and pulled her behind him protectively: “Mom, what exactly do you mean?”
Seeing this, Madam Su frowned: “What kind of attitude is that? Zhiwan is also your niece, your own niece. Why didn’t I see you protecting her when she was wronged?”
“What wrong did she suffer?”
Tan Zhiwan held Madam Su’s hand and gently shook her head: “Grandma, please don’t say more. It’s because Momo is more outstanding than me that the Xie family chose her. Even Uncle protects her.”
Madam Su was deeply moved: “Nonsense. Who said Zhiwan is worse than others?”
Tan Yuanzhou, who had always understood Tan Zhiwan’s temperament, snorted and didn’t want to argue further: “Mom, what does this have to do with who I protect? Why are you suddenly targeting Momo?”
“Isn’t it? If it weren’t for her scheming to replace her older sister, how could she have married into the Xie family?”
Meeting Tan Mo’s gaze, Madam Su sneered: “This child has always been clever. Sure enough, as she grew up, she knew what was good and how to grasp it. She really went to great lengths.”
Tan’s father couldn’t bear to listen any longer, his expression darkening slightly: “Mom, you’re mistaken! The Xie family chose Momo from the very beginning. Now the marriage alliance between the Tan and Xie families has been settled. This is a good thing for us.”
Madam Su was slightly taken aback: “…The Xie family chose Momo from the very beginning?”
“Exactly. Probably because Momo and Qichen had prior acquaintance. It wasn’t Momo scheming her way in. You know what kind of child Momo is, don’t you?”
Actually, Madam Su didn’t truly dislike Tan Mo. The girl was obedient and gentle, and Madam Su had watched her grow up. However, she naturally favored Tan Zhiwan, who had been found after much difficulty.
After all, Tan Zhiwan was the Tan family’s own flesh and blood. No matter how outstanding Tan Mo was, she was merely adopted and could never truly be considered a member of the Tan family.
Today, after meeting Tan Zhiwan, she tearfully mentioned a few words about not being chosen by the Xie family and their selection of Tan Mo as their daughter-in-law, subtly implying that Tan Mo had schemed behind the scenes. The thought of an adopted girl going to such lengths to marry into a wealthy family infuriated Madam Su, who wanted to stand up for her biological granddaughter.
Tan’s father: “Mom, who told you such rumors? Zhiwan, did you say this to grandma?”
Tan Zhiwan was momentarily startled but Madam Su protected her: “Never mind where I heard it. I just don’t want someone we Tan family raised with so much effort to end up scheming against her own sister and forgetting her roots.”
Tan Yuanzhou’s expression darkened, unable to bear it any longer and about to retort when his hand was suddenly held by the young girl, who gently shook her head.
Madam Su raised her head and examined Tan Mo closely.
“You really don’t think that way?”
Tan Mo sensed the scrutinizing gazes of several relatives around her.
It was as if she now stood in the courtroom, accused of some unforgivable crime.
Yet she had done nothing.
She had been careful and cautious in the Tan family, full of gratitude, yet she had always been treated as an outsider, constantly accused of scheming for a wealthy life.
Tan Mo lowered her gaze, darkened her lips slightly, and her voice quivered faintly:
“I never intended to take anything away from my older sister.”
“Mom, I’ve also been actively seeking a match for Zhiwan. We definitely won’t let her down,” Tan’s father tried to placate Madam Su. “Both Momo and Zhiwan are your beloved granddaughters.”
Madam Su composed her solemn expression and softened her tone as she spoke to Tan Mo:
“So I misunderstood you today. Now that I’m old, my thinking has become rigid, and my words might not sound pleasant. You younger generations shouldn’t take it to heart. Momo, after you marry into the Xie family, live happily with them.”
Tan Mo lowered her eyes:
“…Okay.”
A relative nearby smiled and persuaded: “Fangyun, today is your birthday. Don’t be upset.”
“I’m not upset. I’m in a good mood.”
At this point, a servant said the guests were arriving one after another. Madam Su stood up and went outside with Tan Zhiwan’s support, followed by Tan’s father and mother.
Tan Yuanzhou looked at Tan Mo and gently comforted her: “Don’t worry about what grandma said. She’s just like that.”
Tan Mo suppressed the bitterness in her eyes and slightly lifted her eyebrows: “I’m fine.”
Today was the elderly lady’s birthday banquet. No matter what, she wouldn’t argue with the elder generation.
Moreover, as Madam Su had said, the Tan family’s nurturing grace was something she could never fully repay in this lifetime.
“Let’s go. We’ll go outside.”
Tan Yuanzhou took her outside. Madam Su’s mood shifted swiftly, and she smiled at Tan Mo once more, as if this were merely a trivial matter that she had already put behind her. If Tan Mo continued to dwell on it, it would reflect poorly on her as the younger generation for failing to comprehend.
Tan’s father, while hosting the guests, turned to Tan Mo and asked, “By the way, where is Qichen? Why didn’t he come with you tonight?”
“He has something to attend to at the company tonight.”
A guest approached Madam Su, shook her hand, and congratulated her on her birthday, then noticed Tan Mo standing at the side:
“Oh, this must be Momo? I remember she recently married the CEO of Ochuang Group?”
“Yes.”
“Congratulations. Your two families have become in-laws. By the way, why isn’t Mr. Xie here?”
Tan’s father smiled and sighed: “Unfortunately, he happened to be busy tonight at the company…”
As he was speaking, there was a commotion at the banquet hall entrance. Under the servants’ respectful welcome, a mature and dignified figure came into view.
The man had a tall figure, wearing a low-key overcoat. His sharp eyebrows and eyes carried a coldness like frost, instantly becoming the focus of everyone’s attention.
“Isn’t that Mr. Xie from Ochuang Group? Why would he come here?”
“You didn’t know? The Tan family’s youngest daughter recently married him. He’s now the Tan family’s son-in-law…”
Whispers broke out. Tan Mo and those around her were all taken aback by Xie Qichen’s sudden appearance.
Under the crowd’s gaze, Xie Qichen walked to them, greeted warmly, then had Wen Cheng present several gifts to wish Madam Su a happy birthday: “Sorry grandma, I came late.”
Madam Su, after all, respected the Xie family’s power, smiled kindly:
“You came, Qichen. I didn’t expect you to attend this old lady’s birthday banquet.”
“Grandma, you’re too polite. Now that I’ve married Momo, naturally I should come.”
Tan’s father looked at Tan Mo: “Momo, you said Qichen was busy tonight?”
Tan Mo was embarrassed and didn’t know how to explain. Then her shoulder was embraced, and a gentle, smiling voice came from above:
“No, I did tell Momo today that the company was a bit busy, but I finished my work and came over as soon as possible.”
Madam Su was taken aback by Xie Qichen’s attitude toward Tan Mo, as their relationship appeared to be quite harmonious. It didn’t seem like Mo Mo had been the one actively pursuing him. She came to the realization that she might have misjudged the situation.
Beside them, Tan Zhiwan’s expression darkened. After a few exchanges, Tan’s father asked Momo to lead Xie Qichen to the main table.
As they walked forward, Tan Mo felt the hand on her shoulder drop, and the man’s smile suddenly disappeared.
She was slightly surprised: “Why did you come here tonight…”
Xie Qichen’s gaze was deep and unfathomable, his long eyes fixed on her:
“If I didn’t know, you wouldn’t have told me at all, right? Your parents asked you to call me, and you didn’t plan to?”
That evening, he called Yang Xialan at the company to inquire about their shopping trip, only to find out that Tan Mo was attending Madame Tan’s birthday banquet that night.
Concerned that something might happen to her at the Tan residence, he immediately dropped everything and hurried over, only to discover that Tan Mo had no intention of calling him.
Tan Mo was stunned: “Because I thought you were busy, I didn’t say anything…”
Moreover, thinking of what had happened in the living room earlier, she didn’t want him to appear in such a delicate situation.
“Because I was busy? Is it because you don’t care about me, or you think our relationship is insignificant?”
Why, since their marriage, did her life seem to have no need for his involvement? In her heart, had he always been an outsider?
Xie Qichen turned his cold gaze aside, ultimately not voicing this question.
Seeing his cold expression, Tan Mo swallowed her explanation, not knowing what to say.
They took their seats. Other guests noticed Xie Qichen and came over to greet him. On the surface, the man appeared quite gentle, shielding Tan Mo beside him, which led people to admire their strong marital bond.
At seven in the evening, the birthday banquet officially began.
Cutting the cake, toasting, the procedures proceeded in order.
Tan Mo remained silent the whole time, speaking very little, like a background character.
…
Around nine o’clock, the banquet was nearing its end.
The guests gradually departed. Xie Qichen received a call from the company and said to Tan Mo, “I need to take this call.”
“Okay.”
He stepped aside to take the call while Tan Mo waited for him. Up ahead, Tan’s father suggested to Madam Su, “Mom, how about we take a family photo on stage?”
“Yes, we haven’t taken a family photo in a long time,” Tan’s mother called the photographer over.
Madam Su nodded with a smile: “It has been a long time.”
So the elderly lady was helped onto the stage by Tan Yuanzhou, with Tan Zhiwan following closely. Tan’s father and mother went up, standing on either side of Madam Su, then turned to look at Tan Mo standing below: “Momo, hurry up and come up?”
Tan Mo responded and followed.
As she reached them, Tan Zhiwan subtly pushed her aside, giving her a cold look and whispering only for them to hear: “You stand at the edge. Don’t you know your own position?”
Tan Mo stumbled slightly, her eyes flickering with unease.
Then Tan Zhiwan squeezed into the middle between Tan’s father and Madam Su, holding the elderly lady’s hand: “I want to hold grandma’s hand.”
Madam Su smiled and held her: “You’re so big now, still acting like a child…”
The family stood in order from left to right: Tan Mo, Tan’s mother, Madam Su, Tan Zhiwan, Tan’s father, and Tan Yuanzhou.
The photographer downstairs called out: “Look this way, three, two, one—”
Tan Mo looked at the camera, attempting to raise the corners of her mouth.
After the photo was taken, Tan Zhiwan walked off the stage chatting and laughing with her parents and Madam Su. Tan Mo trailed behind, her eyes downcast as she struggled to suppress the bitterness welling up in her heart.
At this moment, Xie Qichen returned to Tan Mo after his call, unaware of what had happened. Tan’s father smiled at the two of them: “It’s getting late. Mo Mo, you and Qichen can go back first?”
Tan Mo nodded indifferently: “Alright, Mom and Dad, Grandma, I’ll head back first.”
Xie Qichen said goodbye to the Tan family. Madam Su smiled and invited him to come back to the old house for New Year’s Eve dinner. The man agreed.
Finally, Tan Mo followed Xie Qichen out of the banquet hall.
Stepping into the elevator alone, Tan Mo’s smile finally faltered. Her brows lowered as a faint pang of bitterness coiled in her heart.
A few seconds later, a male voice came from above: “Are you cold?”
Tan Mo didn’t want to raise her head and let him see her mixed emotions. She kept her gaze lowered, avoiding his eyes: “Not cold.”
Seeing her cold demeanor toward him, the man didn’t speak anymore.
Back in the car.
In the back seat, the two sat on opposite sides.
Tan Mo tried to steady her emotions and turned to look at the man, whose jawline was tightly clenched. He gazed out the window with an icy and unreadable expression.
The whole evening, he had been like this.
Tan Mo felt that Xie Qichen’s personality didn’t seem so inscrutable.
At least now, she could sense that his mood seemed not very good.
She didn’t know why and tried to speak to him:
“Xie Qichen, thank you, you spent so much today, buying so many things for my grandma…”
Xie Qichen’s expression cooled further, his thin lips uttering a few words:
“Tan Mo, are you so formal with me?”
Seeing her unable to respond, the man looked ahead, half of his profile hidden in the dim shadows, his tone indifferent and distant:
“I’m your husband in name. Naturally, I should do something for your grandma’s birthday banquet. You don’t have to think too much about it.”
Hearing this, Tan Mo felt a slight pang in her heart.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage